Mountain Livin'
In the mountains with the family. I, of course, am sleeping on the fold out couch while everyone else in the house has their own room. Nothing new there. The main part that pisses me off is that this happened the last time I came with them. That time I stayed one night and then left, telling them that I'd never come again. So I get here tonight, I walk in the door, and Mom tells me that I'm sleeping on the couch. WTF? Yes, I'm more than a little annoyed. That means I have to be the last one to go to sleep and the the second to get up, right after whoever is first and chooses to come to the kitchen. I'm a terribly light sleeper
On a bad note: Nick has "fallen off the wagon." He quit smoking pot months ago when Lauren found out she was pregnant. They both quit together. He had a hard time kickin' the habit but he did it. Now that he's up here staying with Rusty he has fallen into it again. I only know because Lauren told me. She says she's not mad but I can tell she's at least disappointed. I don't blame her; I am too. I told Mom only because I think someone needs to say something to Renee. Renee needs to tell Rusty what a shitty thing he's done. I mean, I'm not one to judge but I KNOW how hard Nick worked and although I know he still has control over his actions, I think it's BS that his own FATHER was the one to tempt him. Poor Lauren. She says he hasn't bought any at home so she hopes it's only a "vacation thing." I dunno WHAT it is, but I DON'T approve!
Parent conferences have been the past two days. Nothing particularly great/horrible to report. I was really happy after my conference with Keith's mom: she was convinced that he wasn't "getting it." After I talked to her and showed her some of his work she was pleasantly surprised and I thought she might even cry. It's good to know that I can be the one to tell a parent that their child is going above and beyond our expectations.
Today I had to have a conference with a parent that spoke terribly limited English. The son knows NO English. I had to basically show her what I needed him to do, have HER have him do it, and THEN fill out the report card in front of her. It's all good though.
After my conference with Dante's mother, which I thought went surprisingly well, I was shocked to hear from Valerie that apparently she had requested TWICE last year that Dante be removed from my room!!! She went on to say that I wasn't strict enough on him and he needed a teacher "more like the one next door, Miss Singleton, who would be mean and tell him what he had to do RIGHT THEN." She went on to say that yeah, I would get fed up with him and then punish him, but that I didn't handle him the right way. She said she "told me once but didn't want to tell me again because she thought that I was offended because she was trying to tell me how to do my job. Whatever, as if I care what she thinks about my teaching techniques! She went on to say that she also requested that he not have me again this year but she was (obviously) ignored. When I asked Mr. Adams about it he said he didn't recall her EVER asking that, but that he did remember her being defensive. True. Very true. I think Mr. Adams probably kept him in my class 1) because the other classes were full 2) it wouldn't be fair to another child to switch classes with him and 3) they realized the problem wasn't me, the problem was HER! She had to come to school and sit with Dante last year (after he was SUSPENDED) and she couldn't control him either. Whatever. I love Dante and I'll do the best I can with what I've got.
Ready to pass out now. Just me, my boys, and my pillow!
On a bad note: Nick has "fallen off the wagon." He quit smoking pot months ago when Lauren found out she was pregnant. They both quit together. He had a hard time kickin' the habit but he did it. Now that he's up here staying with Rusty he has fallen into it again. I only know because Lauren told me. She says she's not mad but I can tell she's at least disappointed. I don't blame her; I am too. I told Mom only because I think someone needs to say something to Renee. Renee needs to tell Rusty what a shitty thing he's done. I mean, I'm not one to judge but I KNOW how hard Nick worked and although I know he still has control over his actions, I think it's BS that his own FATHER was the one to tempt him. Poor Lauren. She says he hasn't bought any at home so she hopes it's only a "vacation thing." I dunno WHAT it is, but I DON'T approve!
Parent conferences have been the past two days. Nothing particularly great/horrible to report. I was really happy after my conference with Keith's mom: she was convinced that he wasn't "getting it." After I talked to her and showed her some of his work she was pleasantly surprised and I thought she might even cry. It's good to know that I can be the one to tell a parent that their child is going above and beyond our expectations.
Today I had to have a conference with a parent that spoke terribly limited English. The son knows NO English. I had to basically show her what I needed him to do, have HER have him do it, and THEN fill out the report card in front of her. It's all good though.
After my conference with Dante's mother, which I thought went surprisingly well, I was shocked to hear from Valerie that apparently she had requested TWICE last year that Dante be removed from my room!!! She went on to say that I wasn't strict enough on him and he needed a teacher "more like the one next door, Miss Singleton, who would be mean and tell him what he had to do RIGHT THEN." She went on to say that yeah, I would get fed up with him and then punish him, but that I didn't handle him the right way. She said she "told me once but didn't want to tell me again because she thought that I was offended because she was trying to tell me how to do my job. Whatever, as if I care what she thinks about my teaching techniques! She went on to say that she also requested that he not have me again this year but she was (obviously) ignored. When I asked Mr. Adams about it he said he didn't recall her EVER asking that, but that he did remember her being defensive. True. Very true. I think Mr. Adams probably kept him in my class 1) because the other classes were full 2) it wouldn't be fair to another child to switch classes with him and 3) they realized the problem wasn't me, the problem was HER! She had to come to school and sit with Dante last year (after he was SUSPENDED) and she couldn't control him either. Whatever. I love Dante and I'll do the best I can with what I've got.
Ready to pass out now. Just me, my boys, and my pillow!